110 HRES 285 IH: Condemning, in the strongest possible U.S. House of Representatives 2007-03-29 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 285 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 29, 2007 Mr. Dent submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Condemning, in the strongest possible terms, the Iranian Government’s seizure of 15 British sailors and marines in the Shatt al Arab waterway on March 23, 2007, and asking for the immediate repatriation of these sailors and marines to the United Kingdom.

Whereas on March 23, 2007, British sailors and marines from the HMS Cornwall were patrolling in Iraqi territorial waters, specifically the Shatt Al Arab waterway, which is located in the Northern Persian Gulf; Whereas those sailors and marines were patrolling in two inflatable boats from the Cornwall in support of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1723; Whereas those sailors and marines were engaged in routine boarding operations of merchant shipping in this waterway; Whereas during the course of those operations, the two inflatable boats were surrounded by six larger patrol boats belonging to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy and, according to various press accounts, forced into Iranian territorial waters; Whereas these British sailors and marines were subsequently taken hostage by these Revolutionary Guard naval forces; Whereas this incident occurred just before the United Nations Security Council agreed to tougher sanctions against Iran for its refusal to halt its uranium enrichment program; Whereas those sanctions in part froze the assets of more than two dozen entities and individuals, including commanders of the Revolutionary Guards, the elite force that the United Kingdom has indicated is responsible for the seizure of these British sailors and marines; Whereas the British Government has demanded the immediate repatriation of these sailors and marines; Whereas the Iranian Government has refused to return these British citizens over to the United Kingdom; and Whereas the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to hold these sailors and marines against their will, and has refused to allow them contact with the British Government: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1)condemns, in the strongest possible terms, Iran’s seizure of British sailors and marines on March 23, 2007, and asks for their immediate return to British custody; (2)calls on the United Nations to condemn Iran’s continued holding of these British naval personnel; (3)demands that Iran refrain from denying the British Government its right to have contact with these sailors and marines while they are in Iranian custody; and (4)demands that Iran refrain from subjecting these sailors and marines to any show trials in Iranian courts or to any treatment which is cruel or inhumane while these British naval personnel remain unlawfully in Iranian custody.